Quote:
Originally Posted by yash101
Whippet has a strong point. If we make all parts in the US, the many hundred teams outside the US will have a disadvantage because everything needs to come from the US. That means there will be forced tariffs and those teams will have to pay more. FIRST is, as Whippet said, an international organization (i don't get why they use USFIRST). It already takes a while for some teams to receive their kits. It would take even longer if they needed to wait for shipping from the US for basic parts. What if they broke a part that they didn't have extras of, the week build season ends? They wouldn't have enough time to order from US, but may be able to go to a hardware store.
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International teams total about 300-400. FIRST is showing 241 teams in Canada for the 2014 season, and Canada is by far the largest non-US country in FIRST.
As it is, Canadian teams ordering from suppliers other than VexPro's Canadian office get dinged big time for shipping/import taxes, and long lead times. Other international teams from non-NAFTA member nations would additionally have to pay import duties on robot parts made in the USA.
Teams in Brazil and Australia often wait weeks into build season to even get their KOP.
FIRST uses the name USFIRST, because that's the legal name of the organization. It is officially the "United States Foundation For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology".
Besides: I don't know what you're looking at. Most robot parts that aren't motors come from American companies already. (Innovation First Inc. and AndyMark Inc.) I realize, though that these American companies may outsource production of their parts to Asia.